Press your tofu. I like to wrap mine in a kitchen towel and pace a heavy weighted surface on top (such as a board) and leave it to release excess liquid. Afterwards, slice into cubes or other shape of your choice.

Heat a large non-stick pan and add some oil. Pan-fry the tofu over medium to medium high heat on each side until golden brown and crisp throughout. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Note: You can ask deep fry, bake, or even air-fry your tofu. If baking or air-frying I recommend to spray or brush some oil.

If you’re using fresh lemongrass that haven’t had the tough outer layers removed, be sure to chop off the bottom root ends and then carefully peel the lemongrass. You should reach a more tender centre that you can easily slice through and mince.

I usually only use the bottom 3-5 inches of the lemongrass and chop these up/mince them. They’ll be nice and crunchy when chopping but you should be able to easily mince them with a sharp knife.

If you’re using frozen lemongrass, be sure to completely thaw it.

Heat a large wok or pan (you can use the same pan from the pan-fried tofu) over medium high heat.

Once hot, add a generous amount of oil.

Add in the shallots, chiles, and bell pepper. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until the shallot is translucent.

Add in the lemongrass and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until tender and aromatic.

Add in the sugar and soy sauce. Mix well and lower the heat to medium. This is to avoid the sugar quickly burning.

Add in the pan-fried tofu and season with soy sauce. Turn up the heat and mix well with the aromatics. You can add 1-2 tbsp water to deglaze the pan.

Turn off the heat. Serve and enjoy while hot. Top with more sliced chiles, if desired. This is best enjoyed with rice.